


"I never wanted anything else" - supercorp

by luversd



Series: Fictober 2020 [27]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Assistant Kara Danvers, CEO Lena Luthor, Cake, Champagne, Fake/Pretend Relationship, adoption anniversary, gala - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:54:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28416438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luversd/pseuds/luversd
Summary: L-Corp is hosting a gala, Lena needs a date and Kara can't afford to lose her job as Lena's assistant.Or, a 'The Proposal'-inspired fake dating au
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Series: Fictober 2020 [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949590
Comments: 18
Kudos: 314





	"I never wanted anything else" - supercorp

**Author's Note:**

> All mistakes are mine. Enjoy x

Running two companies at the same time was hard. Watching your mother die at four years old was hard. Finding an acceptable date who would simultaneously piss off your adoptive mother and entertain you for the fourth gala in a month was hard.

Lena Luthor was excelling at the first one, dealing with the second one, meaning she had stuffed the pain into tiny mental boxes with the hope of never having to revisit that memory again, and she was currently taking care of the last matter. She had hoped the hunt for a date would have gone more smoothly than it was going as she scrolled through her contacts, quickly discounting most of the names that flitted across her screen. _Sam Arias_. Good company but she lived too far away. Lena could easily fly her in however she knew her friend wouldn't want to leave her daughter behind nor would she want Ruby to tag along and miss school. _Bernard Harrison_. The name was vaguely familiar but Lena couldn't remember how his number had ended up in her phone. A few taps later, the man disappeared from her contact list and Lena continued her quest. _Andrea Rojas_. Nostalgia washed over her as she thought about her ex-best friend. Her fingers paused briefly before she shook her head. Too much drama. _Veronica Sinclair_. Lena smirked at her old schoolmate's name. Too much _something_. Moving on, _Jack Spheer_. Too much history. She sighed and threw her phone on her desk. This was hopeless.

'Kara!' She called out.

Her assistant appeared in her doorway a second later. 'Miss Luthor?'

'I need a date for the gala on Saturday,' she informed.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. 'And you're asking me to...'

Lena frowned at the other woman. Sure, she hadn't exactly formulated it as a question but it was rather clear what she needed. She rolled her eyes impatiently. 'Find me a date,' she clarified at the same time Kara said, 'come with you?'

Silence hung in the air and blue eyes widened when Kara's brain had processed the misunderstanding. Face flushing, she quickly stammered, 'right, yes. Find you a date, of course. I'll get to that. Right now. I-, uh.' She pointed over her shoulder with her thumb before clasping her hands. 'I'll just-'

Lena eyed her assistant with curiosity. It wasn't a terrible idea and it's not like she had any other options she could consider. 'Kara, wait.'

The blonde turned around. 'Miss Luthor?'

'That's a great suggestion,' Lena told her. 'Thank you for the offer.'

'I wasn't actually offering,' Kara pointed out. 'I just misinterpreted where you were going with that sentence.'

Her explanation fell on deaf ears as the CEO wrote something down on a piece of paper. 'This is my driver, Andy's number. Text him your address and he will come pick you up on Saturday. Remember you'll be there as my date so you'll have to dress and behave accordingly, but if you have to sacrifice some good manners and grace to piss of my mother, I would be willing to turn a blind eye,' Lena told her as she got up from her seat and approached the blonde.

Kara stared at the piece of paper she was holding out before taking it in her hand and looking up at her boss. 'I have plans on Saturday.'

The Luthor didn't seem particularly bothered by that information. 'Cancel them.'

Kara blinked as the other woman strutted back to her desk. Lena's green eyes landed on her and she arched an eyebrow at her hesitation. 'Do you want to get fired?'

The blonde frowned. 'Is this-? Are you _blackmailing_ me?'

'I'm giving you an incentive to help me,' the CEO rephrased, not that Kara would ever fall for that.

'You're blackmailing me.' This time it wasn't a question.

'It was your idea.'

'It wasn't a suggestion.' She huffed, arguing about this was pointless. 'What's the dress code?'

'Just wear you fanciest dress and you'll be fine,' Lena assured.

'My fanciest dress?' Kara repeated slowly. 'Won't I be underdressed?'

The Luthor shrugged. 'L-Corp's hosting the gala, and you're the CEO's plus one. I doubt anyone would dare to comment on it.'

'That's reassuring,' Kara muttered. 'We should probably, uh, you know, share some personal information if we want to convince everyone that I'm your girlfriend.'

'I'll take a look at your CV before the gala,' Lena promised disinterestedly, her attention moving on to the balance sheet in front of her.

'Great. Yeah, that'll do the trick,' the blonde trailed off. She nodded to herself, not completely sure what just happened and headed out the door. Her fingers were itching to text her sister about the change of plans but she told herself to wait until the end of the day in case this was a prank or her boss found herself a better date, whichever came first.

By the time 6 pm rolled around, Kara was still at the office and she was still Lena's date for the gala that weekend. After making sure that the CEO had everything she needed and receiving the green light to go home, the assistant packed her things and rode the elevator down to the ground floor. She didn't feel comfortable clocking off when her boss was probably going to stay a few more hours but she had made plans with her sister that evening and she really needed to vent. She ordered some Chinese food as she stepped out of the building, stopping by the small restaurant on her way home, and when the clock struck 7 pm, Kara was in her loungewear, the takeout boxes were on the coffee table and her sister's key was turning in the lock.

'Potstickers, again?' Alex groaned, recognising the scent as soon as she stepped into the cosy apartment.

'Hey, potstickers are my comfort food and it's been a weird day. Stop hating,' Kara pouted.

'I'm not hating,' the older sibling disagreed. 'I'm just saying that we had potstickers two days ago and while the few you were kind enough to share with me were delicious, there are other equally delicious foods you could order.'

'Oh, so you don't want the food I ordered for you? Because I'm not above eating your portion just to spite you,' the blonde retorted.

'Don't I know it,' Alex teased before wrapping her arm around Kara's shoulder and guiding her to the couch. 'Now, come on. Let's stuff our mouths with this lovely dinner you arranged and you can tell me all about your weird day.'

Alex was mid-bite when Kara broke the news. She chewed, she swallowed and then she put her plate down along with her chopsticks. 'Let me get this straight. You're not coming to your adoption day party because you're going to a fancy gala with your _boss_?'

The blonde nodded.

'And you're fine with it?' Her sister asked incredulously.

'I wouldn't say I'm fine, but I don't have much of a choice,' she pointed out.

'She's _forcing_ you to go? That b-'

'Hey,' Kara interrupted. 'It's not ideal but it's just one night. I think I can manage one fancy gala with my fancy, unapproachable, out of my league boss.'

'Oh, I get it,' Alex realised with a knowing smirk. 'You actually _want_ to play house with Lena.'

'What? Pfft, no,' the assistant spluttered. 'That's absurd. I don't-, that's not why I'm going. But this could be my only invitation to a rich people's party and I'm curious what happens during those gatherings,' she reasoned defensively.

'Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night,' Alex replied with a wink as she picked her plate back up. 'What would happen if you bailed on your boss?' She asked, turning serious.

'She said she would fire me,' Kara answered dejectedly.

The redhead considered her words as she chewed on her lo mein noodles. 'Would it be that bad to not have to work for Miss Luthor anymore? I mean you barely have any free time anymore since you're stuck at the office all day, she treats you like shit, and she's forcing you to miss your adoption anniversary just to be her date at one of her million galas. You did tell her you had plans, right?'

'Of course I did,' Kara exclaimed indignantly. 'And it would be absolutely terrible if she fired me. She's the CEO of CatCo Worldwide Media, Alex. She could say my name in a disapproving tone and my unborn journalism career would be over.'

'Okay, I got it,' her sister relented. 'It still doesn't change the fact that she's a bitch though.'

'She's ... professional,' she argued. Alex didn't look impressed by her choice of words and the blonde huffed. 'Alright, she's not the nicest person you'll ever meet, but I'm sure there's a good heart hidden underneath that cool CEO exterior.'

'Why are you defending her?'

'I'm not,' she answered quickly.

Alex took in the crossed arms and the pensive frown on her sister's face. 'You kind of are,' she pointed out.

Kara sighed and uncrossed her limbs, fiddling with one of the cushions instead. 'I don't know, there's just something about her. She's not the most sociable person in the world but it's not like she's actively trying to make my life hell. It's just-,' she paused, trying to find the right words to describe the feelings the CEO evoked in her. 'She's adopted,' she started again, 'her mother died and the Luthors adopted her. I don't know the details but I know what it's like to lose your entire world at a young age. I was lucky enough to end up with you.' She gestured towards her sister and gave her a smile. 'But Lena didn't have that warm, loving family to take care of her in the aftermath of that trauma, and how you deal with that sort of life-altering situations shapes you. Yes, she can be mean and yes, she could definitely try to be a better human, but there's good in her and I think it's unfair how people judge her without knowing what kind of shit she has gone through, you know? All I'm saying is, it could've been me. If your family hadn't taken me in, who knows what kind of person I would be right now.'

Alex nodded understandingly as she digested the bleeding heart speech that had come out of the blonde's mouth. 'You're right, I don't know her story and honestly, it's none of my business. How she treats my baby sister on the other hand, now _that_ is my business and forcing you to miss an important date for her own personal gain is a surefire way to get on my bad side.'

Kara rolled her eyes playfully and threw the cushion in her sister's face. 'I'm not a baby,' she pouted. 'And you didn't even know me when I was a baby.'

'True, I bet you were really adorable.'

'I was,' she assured with a smirk. 'Too bad all my photos got lost in the fire.'

'I'm sorry, that sucks,' Alex sympathised. 'Lena's lucky to have someone around who's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. You might think you could've become just like her, but I know you, Kara. You would've found a way to keep that hope burning inside of you and see the good in this world, no matter how hard life gets. You would've been better is all I'm saying.'

A soft smile appeared on the blonde's lips. 'Thanks, Alex.'

'What are you wearing to the gala?' The DEO agent asked, changing the topic.

'I'm not sure yet. She said to wear my fanciest dress but my fanciest dress is that green one. It doesn't exactly scream 'gala',' Kara replied doubtfully.

Alex hummed thoughtfully. 'We need to go shopping,' she decided. 'Green is not your colour,' she defended at her sister's suspicious glare.

'You're helping me so I'm going to ignore the fact that you just said that my fanciest dress doesn't look good on me,' the blonde acknowledged.

Alex grinned. 'You're welcome, sis.'

* * *

Apparently, blue was her colour. Kara restlessly rubbed her palms on her lap as she sat in the tinted-windowed car. With her sister's encouragement, she had splashed out on the dress. It was the kind of clothing she knew would make her look and feel good, but that was too expensive to wear at any of her usual social events - until now. Objectively, Kara looked fantastic, except that she was going to arrive to the gala next to Lena fucking Luthor and the woman already looked like a goddess in her work attire, so relatively speaking, it was absolutely normal for her to be nervous. Her nerves increased tenfold when her boss stepped into the vehicle.

'Kara,' the CEO greeted as she slid into the car seat, her hundred dollar perfume filling the small space between them.

'Miss Luthor,' the blonde returned.

Lena raised an eyebrow at her assistant in amusement. 'Do you usually call your dates by their last name?'

'I do not,' Kara replied, a pink blush appearing on her cheeks. 'Lena,' she corrected.

'That's better,' the Luthor mused before falling silent. Kara's brain on the other hand, had been strapped to a rollercoaster and was now doing twists and turns in her skull, wondering what exactly Lena meant with 'that's better'.

'What's the gala for?' She asked in an attempt to distract herself. She had seen her boss everyday for the remainder of the week after the proposal, yet the topic had remained undiscussed.

'It's a fundraiser for a charity,' Lena answered before looking up from her phone. 'Something about adoption and foster kids.'

Kara nodded, the irony of how she was missing her adoption day party to go to an event that celebrated adoption and foster care not going lost on her. 'That's a nice initiative,' she commented.

'It is,' the other woman agreed.

The rest of the ride was relatively short and mostly silent. Lena was squeezing in the most work she could in the little time that was available before they reached their destination. As if on instinct, she put her phone away a few seconds before the car came to a stop. Kara could hear the clamour of the attending guests and the paparazzi outside. Lena's driver opened the door and helped the CEO out. Kara followed suit, taking the hand that had been unexpectedly held out for her as she stepped out into the open air. Her senses were overwhelmed by the sudden rush of information that came crashing into her, a stark contrast to the quiet, dark car ride. A warm palm landed on her back and she clung onto the unfamiliar sensation as it guided her towards the entrance.

'You cleaned up nicely,' Lena suddenly whispered in her ear, paying no attention to the cameras pointed their way.

Kara almost tripped at the compliment. 'Thanks, I tried,' she replied awkwardly. She glanced at the other woman before returning, 'you look really nice as well.'

The Luthor's red lips twisted into a small smirk and that was the only reaction Kara needed to know that her words had been received with pleasure.

*   
By the time Lena had given her speech and Kara had faked so many smiles she wondered if she was physically incapable of genuinely smiling anymore, the blonde could say she felt more at ease in this new environment. There were times when a reference was made to some famous person she had never heard of and the rich people around her would laugh while she stood there clumsily, feeling like the black sheep - or in this case, the poor sheep. Her 'date' would offer a hushed explanation when she was around, but as the host of the gala, Lena was also busy mingling with businesspeople and old acquaintances. All in all, it turned out to be better than she had expected, or so she thought until she managed to spare a glance at her phone and noticed that they had only been there for an hour. _One hour_ and Kara was ready to go home. Sighing, she put on her big-girl pants and started the search for her boss.

Lena found her first. The soft 'hey, there' that had greeted her from behind had been enough to startle her but not enough to make her spill the champagne glass she was currently holding. Kara knew they weren't dating and this was all for show, still, the familiar face belonging to her boss was a sight for sore eyes.

'Lena, hey,' the relief that slipped out of her mouth was honest and took the other woman by surprise.

'How are you feeling?' Lena asked. She wasn't growing soft on her assistant, however she was aware that she was the reason the blonde was in her best dress trying to impress a crowd of people who probably didn't have the wits to hold a semi-interesting conversation with her. Asking how she was doing was the least she could do.

'Overwhelmed. Tired. Sober.'

She chuckled. That made two of them. 'Sounds about right. Come on, there's someone I want you to meet. I think you'll like her.'

The CEO led them to one of the high tables where a small group of people were gathered. 'Andy,' she called out. A young brunette looked up and grinned at the pair before she walked around the furniture and approached them.

'Miss Luthor! I was wondering when you were going to grace us with your presence,' the woman teased.

'I'm a busy woman, Andy. Turn into one of those potential business partners or charity donators and I might make some time for you,' Lena returned playfully. 'Kara, meet Andy. I met her when she was 15, she's one of the kids the organisation has helped place with a good family. She's currently studying Social Work, but she likes to volunteer at these events for one reason or the other. Andy, meet Kara.'

'It's the perfect opportunity to play dress up,' Andy countered with a grin before turning to the blonde. 'It's nice to meet you,' she told her as she shook her hand.

'The pleasure's all mine, and congratulations on finding a good family,' Kara added. 'I know it can be a hassle.'

The student smiled. 'Thank you. Yeah, most people prefer cute babies over angsty teenagers but I was very lucky to find my parents. Honestly I used to think I would just age out and venture out into the world but I'm really glad it didn't come to that. What about you? It seems like you're pretty intimate with the adoption process.'

'Life has a funny way of working out right when you're about to throw in the towel,' the blonde affirmed. 'My parents passed away when I was thirteen,' she explained. 'Some acquaintances took me in and they have become my family, but the first couple of years were definitely trying times.' Kara didn't make it a habit to share her story to strangers but there was something about the younger woman - either her strength, her confidence, her vulnerability, or all of those things - that made her want to open up. After an evening of 'day trips to Paris' and 'accidentally getting drunk with a robot in Tokyo' (whatever that meant), it was refreshing to have a dosage of realness.

'You can say that again,' the brunette said with a laugh. 'Can I just say, you guys make the hottest couple I've ever laid my eyes on.'

Remembering that they were supposed to act like they were together, Kara subtly leaned closer to her date while Lena slipped her hand into her assistant's. 'We do, don't we, darling?' The CEO agreed with a smirk. This was enough to turn the assistant into a flustered mess.

Before she could utter a more eloquent response than 'ha, uh, yeah', a disturbance caused the other people at the table to scatter. The disturbance came in the form of Lillian Luthor.

Lena sighed. 'Mother.'

Andy was surprisingly excited to see the older woman. 'Oh, I want to see this,' she muttered. 'Mrs Luthor, always a pleasure to see you.'

'Andrea,' Lillian greeted curtly. 'Lena. Kara.'

'Mrs Luthor,' Kara returned.

'I see you've brought your assistant to this gala. I wonder why.' The disapproving tone was hard to miss.

'Actually, Mother. Kara is here as my date tonight,' the CEO informed, wrapping an arm around the body next to hers and pulling the blonde closer.

'Yes,' Kara squeaked. 'I'm her date, we're dating, gal pals, you know. Or you don't, I don't want to assume-'

'Kara, I think she gets it, darling,' Lena interrupted.

'So I've heard. Today is your adoption anniversary, Kara, isn't it?' Lillian questioned with fake interest. Seeing the stunned look on the assistant's face, she added, 'I did a bit of research on you. As a concerned mother, it is my duty to make sure my daughter is in safe company, you understand, don't you?'

'A bit of research' seemed like an understatement, but Kara wasn't even sure she wanted to know just how deep into her personal life the parent had dug to find that information. 'It is, yes.'

'Did you have any plans to celebrate the date?' The older Luthor wondered, almost knowingly.

Kara felt the CEO stiffen beside her and she quickly answered with the truth. Or the partial truth. 'My mother flew in from Midvale and we spent the afternoon together with my sister.'

'And you decided to spend the night with my daughter at a fancy gala you clearly don't belong at, sucking up to people you couldn't care less about?'

 _Mrs Luthor was really going for it._ Nevertheless, she had a point and like she said, Kara had spent the entire evening 'sucking up to people she couldn't care less about', so what was one more person?

'Mother!' Lena scolded, although the emotion driving her outburst was mostly panic.

Kara's hand instinctively landed on her date's back, gently rubbing back and forth to soothe her nerves. 'It's fine, Lena. It's a valid question,' she assured, turning toward the parent. 'The thing is, family is a broad term, Mrs Luthor, and even though today is my adoption anniversary, I like to celebrate it with the important people in my life and that includes your daughter. Getting to spend this day with the people I love, whether it be at home or at a party, it's more than I could've dreamt of after losing my parents, and honestly,' she said, her eyes lingering on Lena's delicate features, 'I never wanted anything else.'

'How sweet,' Lillian noted flatly. Small talk followed about the company (L-Corp) and Lena's side business (CatCo) as her mother liked to call it. Soon enough, the older woman excused herself to go and get a drink, and possibly never come back again.

'Your mother is a handful,' Andy said, exhaling loudly once their small group had returned to its original members. 

'Understatement of the year,' Lena replied.

'The way you stood your ground though, Kara, it was really impressive,' the brunette gushed, making the assistant smile in return. 'You're literally my OTP.'

Before either woman could respond or ask what an 'OTP' was, Andy spoke up again. 'My friend/coworker needs my help with something,' she noticed as she waved back to said friend. 'I have to go, but it was fun catching up with you and your mom, Lena.' She smirked and turned her attention to the blonde. 'It was really nice to meet you, Kara.'

'You too. Good luck with your studies,' the assistant wished genuinely. 'I like her,' she said once the student was out of earshot.

Lena raised an eyebrow and smiled. 'I had a feeling you would. She's a good kid.'

'Sounds like you two are pretty close,' Kara noticed carefully.

The CEO nodded pensively, her green eyes lingering on the brunette's disappearing figure. 'I met her when I was looking around for a charity the company and I could support. The last thing I expected was to start a friendship with a moody adolescent but she grew on me.' She snapped her head towards Kara. 'Is it really your adoption anniversary today?'

Caught off guard by the sudden topic change, Kara blinked and answered, 'it is.'

'Is that a thing you celebrate every year?'

Wondering why her boss was suddenly interested in her personal life, she said, 'it's not a huge deal or anything but yes, either my sister and I go home or our parents come to us depending on the year. We usually buy some cake and take a trip down memory lane, sometimes with friends around, other times it's just us.'

'It never occurred to me that that would be something someone would want to celebrate,' Lena spoke so quietly that Kara almost missed it. 'Your mother and your sister are in the city right now?'

The blonde nodded, completely lost as to where this conversation was heading.

The Luthor smiled mischievously. 'Let's go. Text them both and tell them to meet you at your apartment in an hour.'

'Wait,' Kara uttered as the other woman weaved her way through the crowd of people. 'What's happening?'

'You're going to uncancel your plans and have that party you had planned,' Lena informed once they had made it out of the building. 'Go on, text them, or call them,' she added, pulling out her own phone from her purse and dialling her driver's number.

Too shocked to comprehend what was going on, Kara obediently texted her sister to pick up their mother and meet her at her apartment in one hour. 'What about the gala? You're the host, Lena. You can't just _leave_.'

The Luthor smirked, her phone pressed against her ear. 'Don't you know? Leaving your own party is a show of power.'

'Or a lack of good manners,' the blonde mumbled.

'Oh no, trust me. This is Cat Grant-wisdom we're talking about, and you can't argue with that kind of logic,' Lena replied after her short conversation with her driver.

Kara looked up at her boss and cracked a smile at the unexpected joke. She was seeing a new side of her and while not unpleasant, she didn't know how to take it. 'Well, if Ms Grant said it,' she played along, earning a shy grin from Lena as the woman turned away in an attempt to hide her amusement.

Furiously tapping on the screen of her cellular device, the CEO muttered, 'shit, all the stores are closed.' She locked her phone and turned to her assistant. 'New plan, we're going back in.'

Kara, who hadn't even been aware of the old plan, stared at the green eyes woman with a blank expression. 'We're going back in where?'

Instead of offering a verbal reply, Lena signalled her driver who had arrived moments earlier to wait five more minutes before she turned on her heels and headed into the building they had just exited. Kara huffed and quickly chased after the other woman.

'Lena?' She called out in the echoing entrance hall. The double doors leading to the gala room had been left untouched and she listened for a singular pair of footsteps as she tried to locate the CEO. She followed the sound down unexplored corridors, all the while wondering how Lena could walk so fast in her heels, and found herself face to face with a bustling kitchen. 'Lena?'

Lena turned around, an uncharacteristically bright smile on her lips. 'How do you feel about Belgian chocolate cake?'

The blonde raised an eyebrow. 'That sounds delicious,' she answered slowly. 'Why?'

'You heard the lady, pack it up,' the CEO ordered. The catering staff did as they were told and in less than a minute, the cake had been neatly packed in a white bakery box.

'Lena,' Kara whispered urgently. 'We can't steal a cake.'

'I would hardly call it stealing, dear. I'm the one who paid for it,' Lena pointed out calmly as she took the dessert in her hands. 'Besides the guests have a three-tier vanilla cake to keep them sated. They can't miss what they didn't know they had. A bottle of champagne, please,' she requested to the meandering staff members. 'Dom Pérignon.'

Blue eyes widened at the brand name. 'No,' the blonde refused decisively. Assuming that all this premium food was for her informal adoption anniversary was uncomfortably self-important, but she couldn't think of another reason why Lena would be stealing from the catering company. 'If it's for you, then go ahead, but I'm not going to be your accomplice,' she said as she took a step back.

A man wearing an apron came back with the vintage alcohol in his hands and handed it to the Luthor. 'Thank you,' Lena told him gratefully before focussing her attention on her assistant. 'Like I said, I paid for all of this so these,' she carefully raised her hands, 'are mine. We are not doing anything wrong and trust me, the chef would rather have his cake and this champagne fully appreciated by your family than consumed mindlessly as a stomach-filler by the guests here. You would be doing him a favour. Actually, I know him, we can ask him if you'd like.'

'No, that's fine,' Kara exclaimed quickly. There was no need to involve more people - the fewer people who could identify her as the culprit, the better. 'You're sure they don't mind?' She wasn't sure who she meant with 'they' - the catering staff? The chef? The guests? - but she left it open to interpretation. Logically, the only person who could have an issue with the disappearing dessert and drink was the host, and since Lena was the host, there was no reason for her to worry.

'I'm sure. Now, could you be a dear and take the champagne out of my hand please? It's a bit pricey and I wouldn't want to drop it on our way to the car,' the Luthor explained and her assistant quickly obliged.

The pair thanked the catering staff before they headed back towards the entrance. 'Why are you doing this?' Kara asked mid-journey. The question had been eating at her and she couldn't figure out the CEO's motives.

'Because I felt like it' was Lena's reply and the blonde was less than satisfied with it.

'You 'felt like' telling me to cancel my plans earlier this week so I could come to this party and now you're prepared to leave early and steal cake-'

'From myself,' the Luthor pointed out.

'For the same plans you told me to cancel,' Kara finished. 'Why the change of heart?'

By the time they had reached the main entrance, they had received a number of side glances from wandering guests and security guards but none of them had stopped or talked to them, most likely because of the fact that Lena was either their host or their boss.

Kara's question remained unanswered until they stepped out into the cool night. 'I didn't realise your plans were that important,' Lena finally confessed as they walked towards the car. 'I don't have any friends much less family with whom I could hang out. I forgot what it was like to have people around you want to spend time with, but my reclusive tendencies shouldn't come in the way of you celebrating one of the most important days of your life.'

'That's ... considerate.'

The CEO chuckled softly. 'I do have a heart, you know. I just try not to show it at work because people are already doubting my abilities to run one, let alone two companies.'

'Screw them,' Kara told her as the driver openend the car door for them. 'I've been working for you for three years and I have yet to see you fail - _truly_ fail - at your job. Don't get me wrong, you've made mistakes before and there were business deals that were probably better left unmade, but no matter how bad it gets, you always manage to turn it around and find a way to improve the company. Considering your intelligence, your creativity and your dedication to your work, your suitability for the job is really not open to debate.'

'Thank you, Kara,' Lena replied with a small smile before entering the vehicle. Her assistant nodded in response as she followed suit and got in the car. The drive to her apartment was silent, but judging by the pensive look on the CEO's face, her boss was busy processing her words. Kara let her eyes linger on the other woman for one more second before she turned her head and stared out of the window. She was still on the fence about how she felt about the Luthor, but she refused to let bigots poison her mind against herself. The woman was too brilliant for that and Kara would stand up for her boss as many times as it took if it meant that the world would finally recognise the good, hard work she was doing.

When her apartment building came into view, Kara wondered how she was going to carry her things up four flight of stairs. Even on her best days, she still managed to trip over air, so adding the pressure of carrying vintage champagne and international dessert only increased her chances of stumbling on one of the steps. As it turned out, her brainstorming had been wasted effort because as soon as the car had come to a stop (and Lena's driver had opened the door), the CEO stepped out of the vehicle, her purse hanging around her wrist and the cake in her hands. Having her boss walk her to her door was surprisingly not the strangest thing to happen that evening and the blonde decided not to question it.

'You live here?' Lena asked as she took in the interior of the apartment building.

Kara glanced at the other woman while she led them to the staircase. She wasn't sure if the CEO was mortified or impressed by her living quarters. 'I do,' she confirmed.

'You can afford to live in a building like this? Granted, there's no receptionist or security guard, but it's ... cosy,' the Luthor observed.

'You should see my apartment,' Kara replied. If Lena thought the lobby and the stairs were cosy, her apartment would be the definition of home - literally and figuratively. 'And you pay me well.'

'I do, don't I?' Lena agreed almost playfully, although it was clear she didn't know - or care - how much her assistant was actually making as long as she was compensated appropriately. 'Can I ask you a personal question?'

'You can, but I might not answer it,' the blonde told her honestly.

'What happened to your parents?'

She stayed silent as they reached the second floor landing. 'A house fire,' she finally revealed and shrugged. 'They died. I didn't.' Despite her body language, it was obvious that that part of her history was still a sensitive topic she didn't wish to discuss. 'What about you?'

'My mother died when I was four years old. She drowned and I couldn't help her. My father took me in and Lillian has hated me ever since,' Lena narrated without much interest or emotion.

Kara hadn't expected a response, much less an honest one, but it seemed as though the CEO had made it her mission that evening to surprise her with every decision she made. 'Wait, your father was your _father_?'

'Well, he wasn't my mother,' Lena answered drily, an eyebrow raised at her assistant's eloquence - or lack thereof.

The blonde huffed. 'You know what I mean. Lionel was your biological father?'

The businesswoman nodded. 'I'm a Luthor through and through.'

'That explains the genius and the strong work ethic,' Kara said with a grin.

Lena smirked. 'Careful there, Kara. It sounds like you're complementing Lex on his 'genius' plan to save the world using eugenics.'

'Nope, just you. He's got the brains,' Kara conceded. 'But you've got them too, plus the looks and the heart. You find other, better ways to save the day.'

The Luthor smiled awkwardly. She wasn't used to receiving compliments and she didn't know how to take them. Instead, she deflected the kind words and turned the attention on the other woman. 'Only because my assistant wouldn't let me get away with half of the shit my brother's done.'

'Only half?'

'All of it,' she corrected.

'She sounds like a catch.' Kara winked.

'She has her moments,' Lena acknowledged as they came to a halt in front of what she assumed was her assistant's apartment.

'This is me,' the blonde announced, confirming her suspicions a moment later. She fished out her keys from her purse and stood there, playing with them. She knew her sister and her mother would expect her to walk in as soon as they heard her unlock the door, but ending their conversation now seemed abrupt and wrong. 'Thanks for the fun night,' she told the other woman.

The CEO chuckled. 'I was there, Kara. You don't have to lie about it.'

'I wasn't lying,' Kara protested weakly. 'I got to dress up, I met Andy and I learned more about you. It was a good night.'

'Plus you got free dessert and free champagne,' Lena added with a teasing smile.

Kara beamed. 'Exactly. Would you like to come inside?'

The Luthor shook her head. 'It's a family gathering. I wouldn't want to intrude.'

'Family and friends,' the blonde corrected.

Lena stared at her, looking slightly confused as to why the specification had been made. 'My point exactly. I have no business attending your party.'

'Family, friends and potential friends,' Kara corrected one more time, adding, 'we're getting there' when her boss gave her an unbelieving look.

'We are?'

The assistant nodded enthusiastically.

'Do your friends usually make you work 10-hour shifts and cancel your plans to accompany them to galas for the sole reason that they didn't want to be alone?' Lena questioned with a raised eyebrow.

'Only when they're desperate,' Kara replied cheekily, a warm laugh escaping her body at the offended expression on her boss's face. 'Come inside,' she invited again. 'You just said you didn't want to be alone.'

'At the gala,' the CEO clarified. 'Surrounded by people, celebrating family life, feeling lonely even when my mother is in the same room.'

'So, that's a no to Dom Pérignon and Belgian chocolate cake?'

'It's a 'not today',' Lena answered with a small smile. There was an implication in her sentence that she would accept the invitation one day and judging by the hopeful look on the other woman's face, it hadn't been lost on Kara. She handed the cake to her assistant once the front door was unlocked and said, 'enjoy your party, Kara. I'll see you on Monday.'

'Thanks, you too,' Kara replied hurriedly as she watched the businesswoman walk away.

Before she reached the stairs, Lena looked over her shoulder and smirked at the blonde's lingering stare before speaking up, 'oh, and Kara? Happy adoption anniversary.'

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments!


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